A lovely white and grey Stockholm home

This Stockholm home was once beautifully captured by Patric Johansson for Elle Interiör (as shown in a former post by Anna Gillar here). It's now for sale. One of the key things I noticed is the wall painted in two tones in the kitchen dining area, it's extremely subtle but makes a big difference to the room don't you think? I also love the striped cushions on the sofa (it seems stripes are everywhere again this year too, did you see this fab bedding the other day?) and of course I'm a big fan of white and grey. What do you like the most about this home?

HusmanHagberg via Anna Gillar

It's been styled for sale so the style is very clean here. But when you look back at the pictures Patric took it looks very cosy.

Other white and grey homes I love include this, this and this one.

Speaking of home shoots, a photographer is coming to shoot my home in a few weeks time - so much to do still eeeek! But very exciting. More to follow soon.

I hope you have a very lovely St Valentine's Day and a wonderful weekend!

PS As regular followers know I'm currently travelling in Thailand with my family for four weeks which is so wonderful! Thank you so much to Hanna, a fellow Malmö blogger, for covering for me yesterday, The wifi hasn't always been great so it's been so helpful to have some fantastic guest bloggers along the way.

See you Monday!

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Gen's Cosy Sitting Room Make-Over with Bemz!

Sponsored: 

Often, when you take a step in a new direction in one room, it has a knock-on effect on the next room - and before you know it you're re-doing the entire place! Have you noticed that too?! When my friend (and interior designer) Genevieve Jorn, renovated her bedroom here in Malmö a few months back, she was thrilled with the results and wanted to continue the look through to her sitting room. Her and husband Kasper, didn't want to invest a huge amount since it's fairly newly renovated, but still wanted to find a simple way to inject similar colours (sand, grey etc) and natural materials such as linen to give their living space a cohesive look. Since they already had a Karlstad sofa and were very happy with it, Bemz* - who make beautiful design covers for IKEA furniture - was the ideal solution to bring more linen into the space. Here's the low down...

 Before

The Design

Sample selection  

You might already be familiar with Bemz* (I've been a partner of theirs for a while and am a huge fan having used their design covers in my sitting room and bedroom). But, just in case you're not - the Swedish brand makes the most beautiful design covers for IKEA sofas and armchairs as well as cushions, curtains and bedroom fabrics (and have over 150 fabrics to choose from - I'm not kidding!).  Such an awesome way to make the most of what you already have and give it a whole new lease of life! 

Gen chose a cover in Simply Linen Graphite Grey which has a craaaazily soft 'peach-skin' finish.  It's also really durable and machine washable making it ideal for saucepan lids (for the non-British out there, that's cockney rhyming slang for ''kids'!).  Side-note: Gen's little girl Olivia is as cute as a button, but even the most angelic of children can leave a fingerprint or too (check-out Olivia's own bedroom here)!

Room design

Gen was keen for the area to feel cosy, personal and warm. She opted for a sandy wall colour (chosen to match her bedroom) as well as warm natural materials in the form of light wood, soft linen and rattan, with the slightest hint of black and grey (get the complete run down on the furniture, wall colours and light fittings here!). 

 After

...be still my beating heart!

The combination of natural textures (which include soft linens, cotton, wood, rattan and paper) and muted, earthy tones have such a calming, cosy effect - which was especially important since it's quite a large open plan room (the dining area is on the other side of the room).  

The majority of the sofa cushions* are also by Bemz. Combining different colours and textures is a perfect way to add warmth and somewhere you want to sink into and chill all day!

Isn't it beautiful?! I seriously could have stayed all evening, perhaps the week (like a true surf coucher!). However, we weren't quite finished with the shoot...

How about Ivy?

As I mentioned, one of the beauties of Bemz is that you can easily update your furniture. I have a spare linen cover for my sitting room sofa so that if something gets spilled (a regular occurrence in our house - bah!), we can whisk off the covers and throw them in the machine.

As a reserve (and an update as the mood takes her!), Gen went for the Loose Fit Urban Brero Lino Ivy. Here it is: same room, same setting:

Isn't it smart?! I love the loose fit urban style and beautiful Ivy hue. It's amazing how each of the colours pick out details in the room, making them more pronounced.

The cushions (covered in the same Pure Linen Brero Lino - Ivy*)  fabric are pretty too as you can really see the texture and piping.

Aaaaaa, such a lovely space. She's managed to achieve that illusive super calm, yet super cosy balance!

Which look do you prefer?

Could you imagine hanging out here watching one too many Netflix series too?

If you'd like to achieve a similar look (even if you don't have an old IKEA sofa or armchair knocking about, you can always pick one up second hand online!) you can find more details here.  Oh and Bemz are offering free shipping exclusively to My Scandinavian Home readers until the end of July with code freeshipmsh (right in time for the mid-season sale too - yay!).

Have a lovely day!

Niki

Photography Niki Brantmark / My Scandinavian Home. Interior Design Genevieve Jorn. 

This post is brought to you in collaboration with Bemz, however all words are my own and I only ever work with brands I love and think you will too. Thank you for supporting the businesses that make My Scandinavian Home possible.

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An elegant Malmö home in calming green

Tjoho! As you know, I'm very proud of my home city of Malmö (see my city guide here!) and I always feel a flutter of excitement when a beautiful home pops up in da hood! This 1920's apartment is located in Davidhalls Torg - a lovely square in the centre of town fringed with small independent businesses including an antiques shop, vintage clothes boutique, a barbers and a whole host of cafés and restaurants - with tables and chairs spilling out onto the pavement. And high above you'll find this oasis. Painted in soothing white and green, the owners have used glass cabinets to keep everything on display, yet safely hidden away. Wooden furniture adds warmth while soft linen textiles add a beautiful softness to the space which can only be described as a picture of a calm.

For sale through Bjurfors. 

Ahhhh, so lovely.

The owners have achieved the perfect balance, don't you think?

Did you see it's for sale too? Come and join us!

Get the look from this lovely Malmö apartment: IKEA sells a similar white glass cabinet. Le Sac en papier, This magenta kimono would look pretty against the green wall, white linen table cloth (beautiful!) and pure linen bedding (I love this off-white linen throw / blanket too).

The look and feel of the space reminds me a little of Artilleriet studio and the home of the owners behind the store. Beautiful!

Have a lovely day!

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This Tiny Swedish Cottage is a Perfect Summer Oasis!

I can never resist a tiny living space - especially when they are this pretty! This cottage is located in Slottsskogskolonien - Sweden's second oldest allotment! It is a mere 19 m2 (204 ft2) but has everything you might need for the weekends and holidays. In the entrance, simple hooks and shelves serve as a makeshift hallway and a dining space is bathed in daylight. Step into the main living room, and an open-plan kitchen and living room offer a place to chill. At night, it's time to climb the ladder to a cosy nest in the rooftop and snuggle up for the night! The owners also have shared access to an onsite communal bathroom. 

At these allotment cottages, the real magic happens outside though. After all, the purpose of them is to provide a garden in the city for those without. The plot provides a place to grow flowers, fruit and vegetables, as well as dine al fresco all summer long surrounded by the sweet scent of lilac! 

Ready to look around? Välkommen! 

High shelves above the windows provide extra storage space for books and other small treasures. 

Built-in seating helps to maximise space - and can also offer more storage underneath. 

Notice how the underside of the table has been painted Klein blue - this seems to be the theme this week (check out Wednesday's Danish home tour!). I love the idea of using paint to bring in the latest trends, it's a sustainable way of keeping your home upon to date! 

A traditional Swedish sofa and two simple wicker chairs ensure a social area in the main living room area, while a little spot under the roof serves as extra storage. 

A simple wooden ladder leads to the sleep loft. 

It took me several goes through these pictures before I noticed the door above! It conceals a storage cupboard. 

I love the use of two-toned wood panelling in the kitchen! Note how this panelling is beaded for a more traditional look. 

How lovely. I could sit in that spot in the garden all weekend, how about you? 

Here's an idea of the layout: 

Glossary: kök - kitchen, stuga - cabin, förråd - storage. 

Speaking of small spaces, Per is headed up to our little cabin this evening, while I travel to Karlshamn in Blekinge (it's a beautiful part of the world which I once covered in this travel guide) for my daughter Liv's swimming gala. Fingers crossed for her - I know she's a little nervous! 

I hope you have some fun plans too! 

In the meantime, I'll leave you with some of these beautiful tours from the small space archive: 

This allotment cottage is a true summer oasis

A charming allotment cottage in Malmö, Sweden

A beautiful allotment cottage in summertime

See you Monday!

Niki

Photography courtesy of Kvarteret Mäkleri - where it is currently for sale! 

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12 Ideas To Steal From A Small Swedish Home With a Castle-like Turret!

"Rapunzal, Rapunzel, let down your hair". Actually, scrap that! You wouldn't need rescuing if you lived in a turret like this - the space is a dream! Small it may be (33 m2 / 355 f2), but awkward angles don't need to spell cramped. This stylish Swedish space has made full use of every nook and cranny to create a beautiful oasis high up over the rooftops of Gothenburg. And there are so many ideas to steal too! Here are 11 to feel inspired by. 

1. Ribbed wood walls are having moment - and they're a great way to add interest and warmth to a space, as well as dampen sound. 

2. A long mirror bounces natural light from the balcony to lighten up the space. 

3. Skylights are ideal for rooftop living - and now they come with built in blinds to shield from sunlight on warm days. 

4. Darker stone surfaces have taken over in the kitchen and add a wonderful, natural, textured feel. 

5. Wood and stone / ceramic accessories are everything right now - the more artisanal / imperfect the better. Expect to see a growing number of wood accessories such as bowls, jugs and pots this autumn / winter too! 

6. The shades might be earthy, but the combination of wood, exposed brick and stone - as well as the black contact ensures plenty of interest. 

7. A kitchen on one side, a hallway on the other - you can't get quicker to the fridge than that. Plus, it capitalises on space! 

8. In a small space like this with lots of angles, white is a great shade for keeping the look bright and airy. 

9. Trailing plants add so much greenery, plus they are often so much easier to keep alive than standard plants (as least in MHO). Take a look here to feel inspired! 

10. Check out the mix of textures: 'teddy' / boucle, linen, shaggy wool, stone etc. If you like a minimalist look but still want things to happen - this is the way forward! 

9. Arched mirrors - remember those from my Autumn trend post? Here, round / curved edges help to break up the angular shape of the room. 

10. A slither of exposed brick helps to connect the bedroom with eh kitchen, giving the home a cohesive look and feel. 

11. Remember that discussion the other day? I hadn't realised that the unmade / crumpled bed look was a Scandinavian (potentially European?) style trend! OK, the styling here is a little excessive, but in general I'm all for the creased / messy linen look, I mean no ironing? Winner! Thoughts?

12. For limited spaces, a small wall mounted desk is ideal! Plus it's perfectly positioned under the window to maximise natural light. The Arum lamp* is from Ferm living, I have the wall version in my bedroom and L.O.V.E it (Canadian friends - I noticed your comments the other day, the good news is it appears Ferm Living is available for you through The Modern Shop) and the Afteroom chair* is from Menu. 

I totally get that it's unlikely you live in a turret shaped home - but many of us do live in small spaces / have teeny rooms to decorate, so I hope this has given you a few ideas for your home! 

For more small space ideas check out this archive. 

Right friends, that's it from me this week! There's a storm brewing in Malmö with gale warnings so I need to get on my bike and peddle home as fast as possible before it arrives. I hope you have better weather! 

Have a wonderful weekend and see you Monday! 

Niki

Photography: this home is for sale courtesy of Alvhem 

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